Discharge head for pressure fluid tanks



y 5 1948- 1 F.- A. 'DODEZLIN 1 2,441,011 1 DISCHARGE HEAD FOR PRESSUREFL UID TANKS Filed Oct. 10, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

ZMQTM 7% ATTORN adapted to pierce the sealing disc at its center..

As the cutter. 26 isshifted axially, in the. manner to be explained,thepiri. 28 first pierces the sealing disc I1 and the shearing edge 21then shears oii the disc at the inner edge of the shoulder [8. Toprevent rotation of the cutter 25, as it slides within the chamber 23, apin 29 is provided through the wall of the housing. This cooperates '4provide a recess, as indicated at 54, at its upper end. This recessforms an extension of the explosion chamber within the piston. At itsupper end the member 53 is provided with a laterally extending flange 55which is normally held substantially in engagement with a. shoulder onthe member 35. If desired theengagement of flange 55 with said shouldermay determine the upper limit of movement of the piston and a slightclearance may be provided between flange 32 and the plate 35. In theoperation of the device the flange 55 shifts freely within the chamber37.

with an elongated slot 30 in the wall of the cutchambers 24 and 25 ofthe housing. The main I I body of the piston is adapted to fit the boreof the chamber 24, while the flange 32 is arranged to .slide along. thewallet the chamber 25. A spring33, which surrounds the piston within thechamber 25, 'acts'at its upper end against the flange 32 and at itslower end against a shoulder 34 oi the housing. This spring tends tokeep the piston inits upper position as shown in the drawing. A flatannular plate 35 is provided across theupper end of .the housing member22 and is arranged to be clamped against the latter by acup-like'member. 33 which forms another part of the housing. As shown,the member 36 is provided with internal threads adapted to engageexternalthreads at the upper end of member 22. An inwardly extendingshoulder within the member 33. serves to clamp the disc 35 and providesachamber 31 which may be considered a part of the explosion chamber. Thelatter is also .form'ed in part by successively reduced portions 38 and39 of the space within member 35.

At its. upper or outer end the member 36 is externally .threaded toreceive internal threads on a cap 40 which serves to retain a plug 4|within the'upper end of member 36 and squeezes this. plug against agasket or washer 42 which provides an eiiective seal at the upper end ofthe; explosion chamber. Plug 4| is preferably formed of hard rubber orsom suitable plastic material having good dielectric properties andcapable of withstandingtthe heat and pressure of the explosion to whichthe device is subjected. A downwardlyextending central portion 43 of theplug is adapted to frictionally receive the upper open end 44 of asuitable small cartridge. The latter contains a charge of gun powder orother suitable explosive 45 which is held in the shell by a paper; wadordisc 46. Plug 41. has a further downward extension 41 which is embedded,in the powder charge 45. .A pair of long passages 48, extending throughthe plug M from its outer to itsinner end, serves to receive and retainthe two legs of a U-shaped electrical. resistance wire 49, the oppositeends of which are connected to binding posts 50. As willbe understood,when it is desired to discharge the. contents of the tank to which theunit is attached, current from a suitable source will be passed throughthe wire 49 toignite or set-ofi the charge 45. For the purpose ofsealing on theupp r ends of the passages 48,: a small disc or washer 5|is provided, this being held in'place by a screw 52. The disc 5|, maysuitably be formed of rubber or other insulating. material capable ofproviding a good seal.

Within the: piston 3! is provided a centrally disposed member 53 whichis largely hollow to Member 53, piston 3|, and cutter 26 are Preferablyheld together as a unitary assembly by means of ascrew-threaded portionat the upper end of the spike 2B. This screw-threaded portion of thespike engages threads within the member 53 so that the spike serves toclamp all of the parts together.

An annular space is provided within the piston 31 around the member 53.Within this space a Sylphon bellows 51, formed preferably of copper orbronze, or stainless steel, is provided, this having its upper endattached by welding, soldering, or the like to the under surface of theinnor edge of the annular. plate 35. The other end of the Sylphonbellows is preferably clamped between the lower end of the member 53 andthe bottom of the piston, in the manner shown. If desired, any other oradditional means, such as soldering, welding, or the like, may beemployed to retain the lower end of the bellows.

It will be apparent that as explosive charge 45 is ignited, in themanner explained, by the passage of an electrical current through thewire 49, the gasses developed by the explosion will force the piston 3|and all of the connected parts downwardly to puncture and shear thesealing disc I! and thus allow the fluid within the tank to flowupwardly through the interior of the cutter 2B, outwardly through anopening in the side wall of the cutter, and into a laterally extendingoutlet branch 58. The latter may be threaded, as shown at 59, to receiveany suitable form of coupling to connect the housing with a hose line ortubing for the delivery of the fluid to the desired points of use.

The smoke and dirt generated upon the explosion of the charge 45 isretained within the explosion chamber and is definitely prevented fromreaching the relatively sliding surfaces of flange 55 within thischamber.

the piston 3| and the housing 22 by means of the Sylphon bellows 51.,This bellows also prevents overheating of the piston by preventing thetransfer of heat, by convection, from the explosion gases directly tothe inner wall of the piston. Moreover, most of the smoke and dirtgenerated upon the explosion will be confined to the pocket or chamber54 within member 53 and the portions 38 and 39 of the main explosionchamber above the laterally extending flange 55. Of course, asthepiston. moves downwardly these gases will expand and follow theflange 55 downwardly. A small portion of the gases may pass around theouter edge of the flange 55 and may enter the pocket provided within thebellows. However, the relatively small amount'of the gases which will dothis; will carry very little dirt or heat into the bellows 5'! so thatthe latter is quite efiectively shielded. The small amount of dirt whichwill lodge on the surfaces of the chamber 3'1 will not interfereseriously with the subsequent use of the device,,because of therelatively loose fit of the Therefore, it is not necessary to take thedevice apart and clean slow escape of gases from said explosion chamber,

and an elongatable sleevemember connected at one end with said housingand at its other end with said piston member for shielding thecooperating surfaces of said piston and housing against the gasesresulting from explosion of said charge.

8. A discharge head for a tank containing fluid under pressure andhaving a sealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a main hollowhousing having an inwardly extending wall dividing the same into apiston receiving cylinder and an explosion chamber, a hollow pistonslidable within said cylinder, spring means normally urging said pistonagainst said wall, explosive means carried by said housing within saidchamber, means for igniting said explosive means, said wall having anopening therein permitting access of the gases of explosion to saidpiston for propelling the same against the action of said spring means,means carried by said piston adapted to open said sealed orifice uponmovement of the piston by the explosion gases, and means extending fromsaid wall into the interior of said piston adapted to prevent access ofsaid explosion gases to the relatively Sliding surfaces of said pistonand housing.

9. A discharge'head for a tank containing fluid under pressure andhaving a sealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a main hollowhousing having an inwardly extending wall dividing the same into apiston receiving cylinder and an explosion chamber, a hollow pistonslidable within said cylinder, spring means normally urging said pistonagainst said wall, explosive means carried by saidhousing within saidchamber, means for igniting said explosive means, said wall having anopening therein permitting access -of the gases of explosion to saidpiston for propelling the same against the action of said spring means,means carried by said piston adapted to open said sealed orifice uponmovement of the piston by the explosion gases, and a Sylphon bellowsconnected at oneend to said wall and at its other end to an interiorportion of said piston adapted to prevent access of said explosion gasesto the relatively sliding surfaces of said piston and housing. 7 r p 10.A discharge head for a tank containing fluid under pressure and having asealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a main hollow housinghaving an inwardly extending wall dividing the same into a pistonreceiving cylinder and an explosion chamber, a'hollow piston slidablewithin said cylinder, spring means normally urging'said piston againstsaid wall, explosive means carried by said housing within said chamber,means for igniting said explosive means, said wall having an openingtherein permitting access of the gases of explosion to said piston forpropelling the same against the action of said spring means, meanscarried by said piston adapted to open said sealed orifice upon movementof the piston by the explosion gases, a'Sylphon bellows connected at oneend to said wall and at its other end to an interior portion of saidpiston adapted to prevent access of said explosion gases tothe'relatively sliding surfaces of said pistoniand housing, and meanscarried by said piston for shielding said bellows against the heat ofthe'explosion gases. r

11, A discharge head for a tank containing fluid under pressure andhaving a sealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a, main hollowhousing having an inwardly extending wall dividing the same intoa pistonreceiving cylinder and anexplosion chamber, a hollow piston slidablewithin said cylinder, spring means normally urgingsaid piston againstsaid wall, explosive means carried by said housing within said chamber,means for igniting said explosive means, said wall having an openingtherein permitting access of the gases of explosion to said piston forpropelling the same against the action of said spring means, meanscarried by said piston adapted to open said sealed orifice upon movementof the piston by the explosion gases, a Sylphon bellows connected at oneend to said wall and at its other end to an interior portion of saidpiston adapted to prevent access of said explosion gases to therelatively sliding surfaces of said piston and housing, and meanscarried by said piston forshielding said bellows against the heat of theexplosion gases, said last mentioned means comprising a radiallyextending flange within said explosion chamber extending substantiallyto the wall thereof.

12. A discharge head for a tank containing fluid under pressure andhaving a sealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a, main hollowhousing having an inwardly extending wall dividing the same into apiston receiving cylinder and an explosion chamber, a hollow pistonslidable withing said cylinder, spring means surrounding said piston andnormally urging said piston against said wall, explosive mean carried bysaid house ing within said chamber, means for igniting said explosivemeans, said wall having an opening therein permitting access of thegases of explosion to said piston for propelling the same against theaction of said spring means, means carried by saidpiston adapted to opensaid sealed orifice upon movement of the-piston by the explosion gases,and means extending from said wall into the interior of said pistonadapted to prevent access of ,said explosion gases to the relativelysliding surfaces of said piston and housing and to said spring means.

13. A discharge head for a tank containing fluid under pressure andhaving a sealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a main hollowhousing formed in two separable but interconnected parts, a flat annularmember between said parts serving to divide the interior of said housinginto a piston receiving cylinder and an explosion chamber,ahollow pistonslidable within said cylinder, spring means normally urging said pistonagainst said member, explosive means car-' ried by said housing withinsaid chamber, means iorigniting said explosive means, said member havingan opening therein permitting access of the gases of explosion to saidpiston for propelling the same against the action of said spring means,

means carried by said piston adapted to open said sealed orifice uponmovement of the piston by the explosion gases, and means extending fromsaid member into the interior of said piston adapted to prevent accessof said explosion ases to the relatively sliding surfaces of said pistonand housing.

14. A discharge head for a tank containing fluid under pressure andhaving a, sealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a main hollowhousing having an inwardly extending wall dividing the same into apiston receiving cylinder and an explosion chamber, a hollow pistonslidable within said cylinder, spring means normally urging said pistonagainst said wall, explosive means carried by said housing within saidchamber, mans for igniting said explosive means, said wall having anopening therein providing communication between said cylinder andchamber, said piston having a cup-shaped portion and a seal openingportion, and a Sylphon bellows within said cupshaped portion and havingone end attached to the bottom thereof and the other end attached tosaid wall.

15. A discharge head for a tank containing fluid under pressure andhaving a sealed discharge orifice, said head comprising a main hollowhousing having an inwardly extending wall dividing the same into apiston receiving cylinder and an 10 explosion chamber, a hollow pistonslidable within said cylinder, spring means normally urging said pistonagainst said wall, explosive means car-

